825 N.E. Weidler St.
Portland, OR 97232
(This location closed in 2008)
www.bjsbrewhouse.com
Founded: The first BJ’s opened in Orange County, CA in 1978.  BJ’s currently operates over 100 locations across the U.S.

When we stopped in for a pint: September 2000
Microbrewery#: 10

BJ's Pizza, Grill and Brewery at 825 NE Weidler, Portland, OR (now closed)

The Beer hunt:  We arrived in Portland hungry and struggling with directions.  It took us over an hour after entering the city to reach Bridgeport BrewPub on NW Marshall Street, and then we found out that all they were serving that night was pizza.  That’s not good news for someone who’s allergic to tomato sauce like me.  We abandoned the place and headed for the next closest brewery we could find –  BJ’s Pizza, Grill and Brewery.  We were worried that it would turn out to be another pizza-only place, but luckily they had other menu options.  We didn’t stop grumbling for long, though.  We were disappointed to find out that BJ’s was a chain brewery.  The exterior shot above shows that it looks kind of like an upscale Kentucky Fried Chicken.  The family-friendly atmosphere inside and the unhealthy food and the plastic-ness of the furniture definitely emanated a McMicrobrewery vibe that neither one of us liked.  But hey, satisfied or not, BJ’s was a technically a microbrewery, so we added a pint glass to our tab.

What was on tap:

Find out what’s currently on tap!*

*At other, still open locations, like the one at 12105 N. Center in Portland